The Abandoned Kitten

by Sue Mongredien

  Mum laughed. “Even though Paddy’s eyes have opened, he still won’t be able to see very well yet,” she told the twins, ruffling Jacob’s hair. “You’ll just be blurry shapes in front of him.”

  “What a shock they’ll get when their ears open, too, and they can hear you noisy lot for the first time,” Dad said.

  “Their ears will open?” Max echoed. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, do you see how they’re a bit crumpled and squashed-looking at the moment?” Mum said. “By next week, their ears will pop up into little points, and they’ll start hearing things as well as seeing them.”

  “Cool,” said Lily. She loved discovering interesting facts about animals.

  “While their vision is developing, we need to keep them out of bright lights,” Mum went on. “You know how our pupils get bigger and smaller, depending on how light or dark it is? Well, the kittens’ eyes can’t do that yet.”

  Meg finished her breakfast at that moment and went over to the kittens’ box to check on her babies. She gave them each a good lick, then settled down protectively in front of the box, as if they were her puppies rather than kittens.

  Lily put her empty porridge bowl and spoon in the dishwasher and went over to make a fuss of Meg. “It’s lucky they’ve got you, isn’t it?” she said. “You’re turning out to be the best kitten mummy there ever was.”

  Once the kittens had been with the Harts a whole week, Lily started to feel more confident about them surviving. They were steadily gaining weight by the day and looked bigger already. Mum weighed them on the kitchen scales and announced they had each put on about forty grams, which she was very pleased about. All their eyes were open now, although they still didn’t do very much other than sleep huddled together and drink their milk.

  Each of the kittens had become good at sucking, so Mum began using special bottles to feed them rather than the milk dropper. Lily still helped whenever she could, and always chose to give Tiny her bottle first because she was her favourite.

  One day after school, Lily had Tiny on her knee for a cuddle when Meg came over and pushed her head on to Lily’s lap as well. “Have you come for a fuss, too?” Lily asked with a smile.

  Meg wagged her tail and began gently licking Tiny. It was the sweetest thing! Then, something even lovelier happened. At first Lily thought Tiny must be shivering when she felt her tummy vibrating. She was just about to tell Mum that Tiny was cold when she realized that it wasn’t a shiver. It was a purr!

  “Oh, Tiny!” she cried happily. “Mum – she’s purring! I can feel her purring!”

  Mum came over and gently touched Tiny. “Oh yes!” she said. “A tiny little purr. She must really like Meg washing her like that – and being with you, too, of course.”

  Lily couldn’t stop grinning. She felt like a proud mum herself, being there for the kitten’s first proper purr. “It’s weird because I can’t really hear it, I can just feel it,” she said.

  Mum nodded. “Kittens grow into their voices just like humans do,” she replied. “I’m sure her purr will get louder as she grows up. I’m really glad she’s feeling happy, though.”

  “Me too,” said Lily. “We’re a good team, Megster, aren’t we?”

  Meg gave a low woof deep in her throat as if she was agreeing. Her black fluffy tail wagged back and forth. Yes, her brown eyes seemed to say. We are a good team when it comes to looking after kittens!

  By the time they were four weeks old, the kittens had grown up a lot and were starting to play together in their box, rolling around and batting their little paws at one another. One afternoon after school, Lily noticed that Paddy was trying to walk for the first time. He was still the strongest and definitely the boldest, and Lily let out a delighted gasp as she saw him staggering and swaying on his feet as he lurched across the box. He looked adorable, his eyes round and bright with determination as he took one step, then another, then another.

  “Go, Paddy!” Lily laughed, kneeling down beside the box and giving him a gentle stroke. “Kitten on a mission!”

  Meg came over and watched Paddy in action, then nosed Socks and Tiny, encouraging them to try as well. Tiny was staring at Paddy as if she couldn’t work out how he was managing to move like that, but Socks seemed keen to copy his brother. He shakily pushed his back legs up so that his bottom was in the air.

  “That’s it, Socks,” Lily said. “Now lift up your front end as well.”

  Socks tried his best, but he wasn’t quite strong enough to push up from his front paws at the same time as his back ones. Seconds later, he collapsed down on the blanket as if it was all too much for him.

  “Oh, Socks.” Lily giggled. “It’s hard work, isn’t it?”

  Socks didn’t give up. This time he pushed up his front legs first, his whiskers quivering with excitement… but his back legs stayed firmly down.

  “You’re like a little see-saw,” Lily said, gently lifting his tummy in an attempt to help him. Socks wobbled dizzily for a moment as he balanced on all fours, then took a first shaky step. “You did it!” Lily cheered, just as Socks plunged down again. “Well done. Keep trying! How about you, Tiny? Are you going to have a go as well?”

  Tiny just blinked her wide blue eyes, then gave a yawn and stretched. Moments later, she had curled her tail around her and was fast asleep.

  “Even thinking about it is tiring, right?” Lily laughed, stroking her lovingly. “Maybe tomorrow, Tiny. We don’t want those boys leaving you behind, now, do we?”

  Two days later, Paddy, Socks and even Tiny were all walking freely around their box, and starting to chase after one another. Mum cut open one side of the cardboard so that they could venture out and start exploring the world – or the kitchen, at least. Paddy, of course, was the first one who dared to leave the safety of the box, soon followed by Socks. Tiny stared at her brothers as they skittered across the kitchen floor, pouncing on a crumb under the table, then sniffing at one of the boys’ toy cars, which the twins had been playing with earlier. She put one small stripy paw out of the box as if testing the air, then withdrew it hurriedly and backed away, whiskers trembling.

  Lily was at the table, writing out invitations to her birthday party, which was in a few weeks’ time. It was going to be an ice-skating party, and Dad had drawn a picture of Lily skating with Meg, which he’d printed on to cards for her. In the picture, Meg was standing on her hind legs, her feet laced into skates, with a red bobble hat on her head, striking an elegant pose. It made Lily laugh every time she looked at it.

  She put down her pen to watch Tiny. “Come on,” she coaxed. “Don’t you want to get out of the box, too?”

  Tiny showed no signs of wanting to explore, so Lily got up from the table and tried to tempt her out by rolling a little ball nearby. Tiny watched it go past and cautiously stretched out a paw in its direction, but she didn’t seem tempted enough to chase after it. “How about playing with some string?” Lily suggested next and cut a piece from the roll in the kitchen drawer. She dangled it above Tiny’s head and the tabby promptly toppled over backwards on the soft blanket, trying to catch it.

  Lily laughed as Tiny picked herself up and quickly washed her tail as if she’d meant to do that all along. “Look, here it is,” she said, pulling the string away from Tiny and on to the kitchen floor. “Why don’t you come and play?”

  Tiny leaned out of the box, eyes on the string, but hesitated. Paddy and Socks, meanwhile, were tussling around Mum’s feet, nearly tripping her up as she put the shopping away. “Hey! Wildcats alert,” she said with a smile. Then she glanced over and saw Tiny’s nervous face. “Two wildcats and a scaredy-cat,” she said. “Come on, Tiny! Look how much fun the boys are having.”

  “Shall I just lift her out, Mum?” Lily wondered.

  But before Mum could reply, the kitchen door opened and Dad came in with Meg, home from a walk. “Whoa!” Dad laughed, seeing Paddy and Soc
ks play-fighting in the middle of the floor. “I’ll have to watch where I tread now these guys are on the move.”

  Meg gave a gentle woof and went towards Socks and Paddy. As soon as they saw her, they stopped playing and rushed over to her, almost falling over themselves in excitement to see their “mummy”.

  “Those boys are certainly pleased to have you home, Meg,” Mum said, chuckling as the two kittens bounced eagerly around the dog’s legs.

  Then came a scrambling of little claws, and Lily saw that Tiny had suddenly leaped from the cardboard box, and was now hurrying over to greet Meg as well. She looked very excited at her own bravery, her tiny tail up in the air, as she went to join her brothers. “You did it, Tiny! Well done!” Lily laughed. “She wouldn’t dare come out of the box for me, Dad. Just for Meg!”

  Meg sat down and licked all three kittens in her motherly way, then stayed patiently in the same position while they clambered over her.

  “That dog is a saint,” Dad said, shaking his head and smiling. “Honestly, Meg, I don’t know how you put up with it!”

  But Lily thought Meg looked perfectly happy, having the kittens climbing up her back or pouncing on her tail as it twitched to and fro. And the kittens seemed delighted to be able to play with her like this, out of their box – even Tiny, now that she’d plucked up the courage.

  Watching them, Lily felt a mixture of happiness and sadness. She was thrilled that the kittens were so much stronger and healthier than when they’d first arrived – and proud, too, that she’d helped to look after them. All the same, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness that this happy little family would have to be separated one day soon. The kittens were nearly five weeks old now and Mum said that once they were eight weeks, they would probably be ready for adoption. Lily knew already that she would miss them so much when they’d gone – and so would Meg!

  Over the next few weeks, the kittens became more and more playful and fun. They loved scampering about, chasing anything in sight. Then one afternoon, Lily came home from school feeling really upset. It was Friday afternoon, and normally she’d be feeling excited about the weekend ahead, but instead all she could think about was how Tiny, Socks and Paddy had to leave in the morning to go to the rehoming centre. The house would be so quiet without them!

  “Whoever gets to look after you guys next is so lucky,” Lily sighed, sitting on the kitchen floor and watching the kittens romping about as usual. Socks was playing with a marble, batting it with his paws like a football, then galloping after it. Paddy was stalking an invisible mouse, by the looks of things, creeping along with his bottom in the air, nose to the ground, ready to pounce. And Tiny was. . . Where was Tiny?

  “Hey!” laughed Lily as Tiny appeared from behind her, making a sudden dart for the marble Socks was playing with. “You monkey, come here!” She scooped her up and cuddled her, feeling Tiny’s heart beating fast in her chest. “Tiny girl,” she said sadly, “I wish you weren’t going tomorrow.”

  Mum came in just then and overheard her.

  “Come on, Lils,” she said gently, walking over and hugging her. “It’s for the best. They’ll be fine.”

  Lily swallowed hard and nodded. It would be fine, she told herself. It really would!

  But then why did she feel so sad?

  “What lovely healthy kittens,” smiled Sheena, the rehoming manager at the RSPCA centre, as she peered in at them. It was Saturday morning, and Lily and Mum had just arrived with Paddy, Socks and Tiny. Sheena was tall, with freckles all over her nose and long blonde hair in a plait. She already knew the kittens, as Mum had been bringing them in to work with her over the last seven weeks. “Hello, Paddy,” she said, lifting him out of the cat carrier to check him over.

  Paddy squirmed and wriggled in Sheena’s hand, his eyes wide.

  “It’s all right, Paddy,” Lily said softly. “Don’t worry, I’m here.”

  It had been awful that morning, putting the kittens into the cat carrier together with their favourite sleeping blanket, knowing that they wouldn’t be coming back. Jacob and Max had been close to tears, not wanting to have to say goodbye. Dad was taking them to Saturday Football Club, which they loved, but they didn’t look at all happy as they went off in their kit.

  Meg, too, seemed to have picked up on the family’s sad mood and knew something odd was happening. She tried to follow Mum and Lily out of the house when they were setting off, and Lily could hear her whining when the front door was shut.

  “Try to look on the bright side,” Mum said as she drove away, the cat carrier down by Lily’s feet. “These kittens wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for us looking after them. And now they’re ready to start a big new adventure with someone else.”

  “I know,” Lily said. Mum was right. She was proud to have helped look after the kittens – and lucky, too, she reminded herself. Her best friends, Martha and Zoe, had been so envious when they’d heard how she and Mum had bottle-fed the tiny creatures in the early weeks. Not many people got the chance to do that!

  Now that they were at the rehoming centre and talking to Sheena, Lily felt a bit better. It was clear that Sheena really loved animals, and wanted to know all about the kittens and their different personalities. More importantly, she seemed determined to find the perfect families to adopt them.

  “We won’t rush into anything,” Sheena said. “Kittens are very popular here, so I know we’ll be able to get a great match for them. We always do a home visit for anyone wanting to rehome a pet, and ask them lots of questions to make sure they can look after an animal properly.”

  “And if we think anyone’s not up to the job,” Mum added, “we won’t let them have a pet. It’s as simple as that.”

  Lily nodded. That sounded good. She tried to stay positive as Sheena checked over Tiny and then Socks.

  “I guess we should say goodbye, then, Lils,” Mum said when Sheena had finished.

  Lily didn’t trust herself to speak all of a sudden. This was the bit she’d been dreading. She’d known all along they couldn’t keep the kittens, but it seemed so final, having to leave them now.

  She cuddled each kitten in turn, stroking them lovingly and kissing their soft heads. She picked up Tiny last of all, not wanting to let her go. “Goodbye,” she whispered, her face against Tiny’s fur. She thought for a terrible moment she might burst into tears and forced herself not to. “I really loved looking after you. I hope your new owners are nice.”

  Mum gave her a hug. “Come on, love,” she said gently. “Let’s go.”

  “You did a great job looking after them,” Sheena said. “Thanks, guys. They’ll be fine with us now.”

  Lily nodded, feeling a sob building in her throat. Then, with a heavy sigh, she put Tiny in the box again, blinked back her tears and walked away.

  Once she was home, Lily tried to put the kittens out of her mind, but it wasn’t easy. Meg seemed to miss them, too, looking everywhere for them at first, as if they might be lost in the house. The whole weekend felt very quiet and ordinary without the mischievous antics of Tiny, Paddy and Socks.

  “Any news?” Lily asked Mum as soon as she came home from work on Monday. “How are the kittens?”

  “They’re absolutely fine,” Mum replied. “And someone wants to adopt Paddy and Socks already, so that’s good, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Lily managed to say after a moment. She couldn’t help feeling a bit upset on behalf of her favourite kitten. “Why didn’t they want Tiny as well, though?”

  “They probably only wanted two kittens,” Mum said. “Taking on three is quite a big commitment.”

  “What are they like?” Max wanted to know. “Have they got proper toys for the kittens to play with?”

  “You need to tell them that Paddy liked playing with the ping-pong ball best,” Jacob said. “He might be sad without a ping-pong ball.”

  “And Socks’ fa
vourite thing was my toy sports car,” Max put in.

  Lily pictured Socks chasing the car all the way across the room and tried to smile, but couldn’t help a sigh at the same time. She still felt an ache inside whenever she thought about the kittens.

  “They’re a family with young children,” Mum replied. “I’m sure they’ll be lovely. Sheena’s going to do the home visit in a few days.”

  Lily sighed again, trying her hardest to be glad for Paddy and Socks. A family with young children did sound perfect, after all. The children were sure to love the kittens and spend lots of time playing with them. And at least the two of them would get to stay together. It’s for the best, she reminded herself, even though she wasn’t sure she believed her own words.

  The next day, Mum had more news. “Someone wants to adopt Tiny, apparently,” she said. “Well, a couple of people actually. First an elderly lady came in and just fell in love with her. But after talking to Sheena about what sort of pet would be most suitable, they both agreed that an older cat would be better. Tiny might be a bit of a handful for her.”

  Lily nodded, glad that Sheena and Mum were taking such care to find Tiny the best owner. It still felt strange, though, the thought of her going to live with anyone else. “What was the second person like?” she asked.

  “It was a family with two children who sounded ideal,” Mum told her. “They’ve got a lovely big garden, and they already have a couple of rabbits, so they’re used to looking after pets.”

  “Sounds good,” Lily said, trying to be pleased for Tiny, even though deep down she envied the lucky family who were going to have her.

  Mum put her arm around Lily. “You’re being so grown-up about this,” she said. “Well done. I know it’s not easy.”

  “If Tiny’s happy, I don’t mind,” Lily said, even though this wasn’t completely true. She did mind – a lot! – no matter how brave she tried to be.